UK-based cross-border payments platform Damisa has secured an Australian Financial Services License from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The approval allows the startup to offer regulated cross-border payment services in Australia, including same-day settlement for customers, as reported by FinTech Futures.

Founded in late 2024, Damisa launched its API-first payment, settlement, and treasury platform in the second quarter of 2025. The company targets financial institutions moving money across high-friction corridors.

The platform supports more than 25 currencies. It uses automated stablecoin orchestration, treasury management, smart wallets, and escrow services to facilitate international transfers.

“Being fully licensed means our customers in Australia get cross-border payments with same-day settlement, full cost transparency, and the regulatory certainty they should expect from their payment infrastructure,”

said Jordan Lawrence, CEO, Damisa.

Lawrence, who previously co-founded the open banking provider Volt, framed the regulatory approval as a structural advantage for the business.

“In regulated payments, the license is the moat. Anyone can build a slick payments UI. Very few can sit on the right side of the regulators in every market they operate in,”

Lawrence said.

He noted that securing financial licenses requires months of scrutiny, capital commitments, and operational discipline, which creates a barrier to entry for competitors.

To fund its product development and regulatory strategy, Damisa raised £2.25 million in a pre-seed round in April 2025.

The funding round was backed by investors including Fuel Ventures and Greyhound Capital.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Australia, based on image by Damisa